James Hardy's mysterious death leaves his mother grieving, Fort Wayne waiting for answers

Jeanie Summerville reflects on the life of her son James Hardy, former Indiana University standout wide receiver and second-round NFL draft pick. Hardy was found dead in Fort Wayne's Maumee River on June 7, 2017.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar

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Jeanie Summerville wears her son James Hardy's Buffalo Bills number 84 jersey at Foster Park in Fort Wayne, Ind., Monday, June 12, 2017. The former Indiana University standout wide receiver and second-round NFL draft pick was found dead in Fort Wayne's Maumee River on June 7, 2017. (Photo11: Jenna Watson/IndyStar)Buy Photo

Would she talk about the shocking death of her son? What caused Hardy’s nine-year plummet? From star Indiana University wide receiver and second-round NFL draft pick to former player with personal problems that became public? What led to Hardy being found dead at age 31 on June 7 in the Maumee River, just a few miles from where she stood?

The questions seemed cold, almost cruel under the circumstances. Had she gone back inside and slammed the door, it would have been understandable. Instead, Jeanie Summerville took a seat on her mother’s porch.

“I would’ve never thought I’d be sitting here, going through any of this,’’ said Summerville. “I would’ve never thought that in a million years.”

A photo of Jeanie Summerville being held by her late son James Hardy.(Photo11: Photo courtesy of Jeanie Summerville)

Summerville was wearing a Buffalo Bills jersey, representing the team that drafted her son in 2008. It was a gorgeous June afternoon, birds chirping, kids playing on the street. Talking about something so traumatic in such a peaceful setting didn’t seem fitting. Or maybe it did.

Hardy’s life was both magnificent and tragic. The conflict was undeniable. His journey was complicated, and then suddenly it was over. Less than 48 hours after her son’s body was dragged from the river, Hardy’s mother was like many others — seeking answers and clinging to memories.

She had reported him missing to Fort Wayne police May 30, but Summerville said the last time she saw or spoke to Hardy was May 25, when he came to this very house. Things were not right with him. He was agitated.

“He had made mention that he had to hurry up and leave town because somebody was trying to kill him,” Summerville said. “I said, ‘Baby, where are you going to go?’ He said, ‘I don’t know, but I got to get out of here.’ And he left.

“Lately, I would see him every day, or I would talk to him every day. Even if he was mad at me about something, whatever it was, I talked with him every day. After a few days, I knew something wasn’t right.”

Police have said Hardy’s car was found abandoned on Spy Run Avenue in Fort Wayne. The vehicle was in the same neighborhood where his body was discovered by an employee of the city’s water filtration plant making his rounds.

As of Sunday evening, Fort Wayne police were piecing together Hardy’s final hours. Was foul play involved, did he become his own worst enemy, or was it a tragic accident?

Summerville said Hardy had written lyrics and had talked recently about trying his hand in the rap music industry. He was living in an apartment nearby, although Summerville said Hardy often went back and forth between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne.

Did Summerville think Hardy was a danger to himself, in the state he was in May 25?

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James Hardey, wide receiver from Indiana, smiles as he talks to the media Friday afternoon at the NFL Scouting Combine. (Matt Kryger / The Indianapolis Star)(Photo11: Matt Kryger, Indianapolis Star)

“I don’t know,” Summerville said. “I hope not. A detective was by earlier today (June 9). They’re still investigating. A lot of things didn’t add up. They said when they found his car, the door was wide open. I just know something happened to my son. And now he’s dead. I’m not a guesser, so I’m not going to guess what happened. I just know something terrible happened to my baby.”

Several calls to Fort Wayne Police department since Friday for this story were not returned. The Allen County coroner's office said a statement would be released once all test results on Hardy's body were complete.

If only we could turn back time, to when Hardy was a star football player at IU. He was a special college receiver with size (6-6), great hands and superb body control. His career numbers with the Hoosiers remain staggering. He is their all-time leader in career receptions (191), career receiving yards (2,740), career receiving touchdowns (36), single-season receptions (79), and single-season touchdown catches (16).

He became a prep legend in Fort Wayne as a basketball and football star at Elmhurst High School and finished third in IndyStar Mr. Basketball voting in 2004. At IU, Hardy reached the pinnacle of his athletic career when he stopped playing basketball after his freshman season to devote himself full time to football.

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James Hardy celebrated his touchdown reception in the Old Oaken Bucket game on Nov. 17, 2007.(Photo11: Rob Goebel/IndyStar)

Mike Davis was IU’s basketball coach when Hardy arrived on campus, and Davis relished watching Hardy become an NFL prospect.

“Once I saw him play football for us, I said, ‘Well, I can forget about him ever playing basketball for us again,’’’ said Davis, now coach at Texas Southern. “It wasn’t surprising to me that he had success in football, but it was a little surprising how quickly he got that good.”

Davis was asked about his reaction when he learned Hardy was dead.

“Devastated,” Davis said. “I hadn’t talked to him in years. Up until yesterday, I hadn’t heard that he was kind of struggling with some things.

“He was always really quiet around me, a quiet demeanor. But I know he wanted to be successful really badly. He wanted to be good. He worked hard. He didn’t trust a lot of people, but once he trusted you, he trusted you. We always had a good relationship even when he stopped playing basketball. It broke my heart. As a coach, you want your players to outlive you.”

Hardy was selected by Buffalo as the 41st overall pick, ahead of several players who became Pro Bowlers such as running backs Jamal Charles and Matt Forte, wide receiver DeSean Jackson and tight end Martellus Bennett. Those players are still in the NFL, while Hardy is being laid to rest. Something is terribly wrong with that.

Clearly, the joy Hardy felt on draft day became elusive afterward. He suffered a serious knee injury as a rookie and was never the same player. He had persistent hamstring issues. After two career touchdown catches in two seasons, Hardy was released by the Bills in September 2010. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2011 but never played in a game before being released.

Summerville said it was difficult for Hardy to accept that his NFL career was so brief.

“Football was his passion,” Summerville said.

Hardy moved to Los Angeles to try a career at modeling and acting. Though Hardy found work, Summerville said modeling did not replace the void in his life that football had filled.

“He said modeling bored him,” Summerville said. “When you have that kind of get-up and go for sports, and then you’re walking down a runway, it’s not going to be the same.”

There were signs Hardy might have deeper issues. In May 2014 in Los Angeles, Hardy had a confrontation with police officers that led to his arrest. Police were called to the scene because Hardy was reportedly causing a disturbance. A judge ruled Hardy not competent to stand trial; he was later ordered to have treatment at a mental health center. Hardy had also been arrested in 2006 after an incident with his girlfriend, and though he was not charged during a 2008 incident, he reportedly pulled a gun during an argument with his father.

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IU's James Hardy talks with reporters about his broken finger, the left ring finger. He broke the finger Monday, August 13, 2007 during practice. He expects to not miss any games from the injury. The Indiana University football team had picture day at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, IN Tuesday, August 14, 2007 with new coach Bill Lynch. (Sam Riche / The Indianapolis Star) Sam Riche, Indianapolis Star

Fort Wayne Elmhurst senior James Hardy is a Indiana University recruit. John Severson/ The Star
GENERAL INFORMATION: Friday, dec. 12, 2003. Slug: Hardy. Assignment #91566. By John Severson. With story by Rabjohns. Future feature on Fort Wayne Elmhurst senior James Hardy, an Indiana University recruit in basketball. Also file photos of Brebeuf Jesuit Prep players Jordan Carter and Matt Bennett. John Severson, Indianapolis Star

This is a 2011 photo of James Hardy of the Baltimore Ravens NFL football team. This image reflects the Baltimore Ravens active roster as of Friday, Aug. 5, 2011 when this image was taken. (AP Photo) Anonymous, ASSOCIATED PRESS

This James Hardy reception on third and five kept IU's game winning drive alive in the final minutes of the game. David Pender is on defense for Purdue. Indiana University hosted Purdue for the annual Old Oaken Bucket football game Saturday 11/17/07 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. Rob Goebel/Indianapolis Star. Rob Goebel, Indianapolis Star

James Hardy of IU celebrates his TD reception just before halftime. Indiana University hosted Purdue for the annual Old Oaken Bucket football game Saturday 11/17/07 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. Rob Goebel/Indianapolis Star. Rob Goebel, Indianapolis Star

James Hardy did not play because of a hand injury but joined the team to sign autographs during a meet and greet session after the scrimmage. IU held it's annual intra-squard football scrimmage Saturday 8/18/07 at IU's Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. Rob Goebel/Indianapolis Star. Rob Goebel, Indianapolis Star

Buffalo Bills wide receiver James Hardy (84) makes a catch against the Detroit Lions in the third quarter of an NFL preseason football game in Detroit, Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) Paul Sancya, ASSOCIATED PRESS

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Summerville was asked whether she ever worried that her son was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative disease of the brain that can impact the behavior of athletes who have suffered repetitive brain trauma.

“Sometimes I did wonder,” Summerville said. “When I thought that, I would ask him to get a scan, but I know he didn’t. He didn’t trust people. He lost a whole lot of trust. People let him down. And I think he let himself down. He thought he was going to be a great NFL player. Then you sit back and reflect and maybe he felt, ‘Look at me now?’

“That’s fair to say he had problems, but who doesn’t? He lived a short life, but he’s in God’s hands now. What I will remember is his love. He had lot of love for the community. Like Thanksgiving, when he would give out turkeys at the Harvester Food Bank. He brought a lot of joy to this city.”

One of those joyful moments came in 2008, on the day Hardy was drafted. During a family celebration, he proudly held aloft his then-toddler son, James Willis Hardy IV, who is now 11 years old. He was surrounded by more than 70 friends and family members. He was happy. That is the way Hardy’s family wants him remembered.

“He loved his family and he had a good heart,” said Hardy’s sister, Johanna Summerville, joining her mother on the porch. “Whatever he didn’t have growing up, he tried to give to people who didn’t have it. He had a lot of high hopes.

“We talked. Some things are hard. Everybody deals with some issues. Nothing can be done as far as bringing him back.I just want to come to peace with my brother’s gone.”

His mother said Hardy also has a 5-year-old daughter named London, and felt confident her grandchildren would remember the best about their father.

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Photos of James Hardy with family during the NFL draft.(Photo11: Jenna Watson/IndyStar)

“They’re in good hands, very good moms, very good families,” Summerville said. “I know they’re going to miss their dad. It’s going to be a loss, but I just hope they remember the beauty in him. I know their moms will keep that beauty alive for them.”

Now memories of Hardy become even more precious. Keith Edmonds, who was Hardy's basketball coach at Elmhurst, said Hardy did his best to hide problems from those who loved him most.

"James was like a son to my wife and I," said Edmonds, who spoke to Hardy for the last time in late April. "I think he always felt like he needed to be doing well. He didn’t want us to see him struggling in any way. It was during those difficult times that we didn’t really hear from him. He didn’t call, let us know he was coming to town. He’d come in, see his son, and then he’d be back out in a couple of days.

"He cared about kids. He cared about family. He wanted to be a constant role model for young people. He hadn’t forgotten where he came from. The big turkey giveaway on Thanksgiving, he gave away just tons and tons of turkeys to needy families. He had a big basketball tournament where he invited all of Fort Wayne. The amount of people who came, and the amount of food he supplied – I mean he just kept buying food. Some of those things get forgotten about James because of all the other things."

Edmonds was asked how he thought Hardy died.

"There’s all types of speculation," Edmonds said. "I’m not really sure. I would hope it’s not anything foul. I would hope it’s just a decision that he made, and that there was no one else involved. I had never heard of anyone that had anything bad to say about him. I wasn’t privy to anyone looking for him.

“In situations like this, you never have any closure. You’re hoping you hear the best out of what is an awful situation. The tough part for me is, I just wish he would’ve called me, called one of us. We would’ve just come and gotten him and spent time with him. Because of all his success, he looked at the later part of his life as, 'I’m a failure,’ that people were not going to remember the good in him. One of the last times I talked to him, I told him, ‘You’re not a failure to anyone. You accomplished more than a lot of people accomplish in their lifetime. Let’s go with the rest of your life, and let’s see what that next chapter is.”'

Elmhurst High, where Hardy became a star, closed in 2010. The building still stands, but to drive past the empty edifice Friday and look at the locked football field created an eerie feeling. Close your eyes and you could imagine Hardy catching a touchdown pass during his heyday, fans cheering, his future looking so bright.

"The school district is still trying to decide what they’re going to do with that building," Edmonds said. "Several companies have inquired about acquiring the building, or bulldozing it down. Now because of what has happened with James, the focal point is back on that building, and people are driving by and taking pictures."

Edmonds would be one of those people driving past Elmhurst. He just couldn't stay away.

"Just to remember all the things we accomplished athletically because of James," Edmonds said. "Our little cracker-box gym of about 1,800 was sold out to about 2,500. At that time, the world was his oyster. He was a good-looking young man, he was well respected, he treated his teachers correctly. If kids wanted his autograph, wanted him to shoot baskets, he did it. He was one of those kids who had figured it out. That’s why it’s so tough for all of us to deal with this loss. Because we knew the young man that he was."

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The Hosey Dam along the Maumee River in Fort Wayne, Ind., seen Monday, June 12, 2017. Former Indiana University standout wide receiver and second-round NFL draft pick James Hardy was found dead near the dam on June 7, 2017, at the age of 31. (Photo11: Jenna Watson/IndyStar)

On the bridge overlooking the Hosey Dam by which Hardy’s body was found, there were two balloons tied to the railing Friday afternoon. One of the balloons read, “Happy Father’s Day.” One had to think the balloons had been left for Hardy.

Summerville said something strange happened on her street the day before, when a rainbow appeared over the house she shares with Hardy’s grandmother, Emma L. Summerville.

“It wasn’t raining or anything,” Summerville said. “It was just there. And then, it was gone.”

The same could be said about Hardy. Summerville has questions. She may get answers. But none of them will bring Hardy back to that porch.